--
Sakura went up to the bath house door and slipped the key inside. When she pulled the door open, a large cloud of steam enveloped her. She waved her hand in front of her face, trying to make sense of what was inside.
Orange light seeped through the small window on the roof. The bath house was split in two, a bamboo wall differentiating between the woman's side and the men's side. She heard the small chatter of the women and the deep murmurs from the men.
Sakura stepped over to her appropriate side and slid off her backpack. "Smells so clean." Sakura took a deep breath, feeling the pure steam enter her lungs.
She stripped off her clothes and folded them neatly next to her backpack. With a hesitant foot, she slid into the water, sighing in relief.
"So good…" Sakura immediately set about to washing her skin. She rummaged through her backpack and pulled out her shampoo and soap. She sniffed the solid bar. "Yup, this is his alright." There wasn't a distinct odor, as most men didn't want to smell sweet. Kakashi's was very plain, but its scent was clean and fresh.
"Not my taste," she mumbled to herself as she ran the bar across her skin, "but it will have to do." As she washed, she listened to the conversation around her.
"…and all came down like a house of cards!" sobbed a woman in the far corner of the room. Her female companion rested her hand on her shoulder, patting it slightly.
"It's okay. It's okay." soothed the other woman. "We can rebuild in Unon. We can start a new life there!" the woman grabbed the other woman's chin and looked into her eyes. "I promise."
Sakura turned her gaze away, knowing the two would appreciate their privacy. She guessed they had enough criticism with their way of life, but now they had lost their home. They did not need her gawking at them while they kissed.
Sakura squeezed a dollop of shampoo into her hand and lathered up. The spring smell and the scent of Kakashi's soap mingled and mixed. "Wow, smells good." Sakura took another sniff. "I like it." She dunked her head underwater, rinsing out all of the suds.
Sakura sat back up and closed her eyes. The stone wall was cool and the water was hot, giving her a comfortable position. We're going to be here a while, she thought, thinking of all the men, woman and children that had no home. The talk is the river won't go down for at least a few days. I hope the Miyazaki family can wait a little longer.
Her mind cleared and suddenly she felt very tired. She would have gotten up, but she was so comfortable, she just gave in and relaxed. There's no point in rushing, she sensed that the two women had left and she was by herself. The voices of the men slowly drifted away to nothingness. Finally, she was by herself.
There was a dripping sound in the background. It was even and it occurred every time her heart beat in her chest. It was soothing, her mind swirling and softening to a sense of peace.
Peace… It had been a long time since she had felt peace. During her mission, she had none of that. Every night she was constantly on the watch for rogue ninjas who had teamed up to take down a local city. Every night she had stood awake, tensed and ready for battle.
More than once she had been injured because she had dropped off to sleep. One time she had nearly lost her life. Afterwards, no dreams came to her and she was always on the brink of consciousness when it came to resting. If a pin dropped or a leaf fell, she would be awake.
It's strange the things that happen to a ninja over time. A young, promising shinobi wasn't taught how to sleep. The safe way came with experience. For some unfortunate few, this experience ended with death.
Sakura had always believed she was a smart student. She could easily be given any problem and she would solve it within minutes. But, during her time away, she was taught the difference between smarts and wisdom.
Wisdom, when she was young, meant that the person was old. That was what it always seemed to be. Every time she heard someone of higher rank than her call a man 'wise', he was usually in his early forties and up. Sakura learned that wisdom was not something given with age, but with experience. Maybe that was why older people were wise; they had much more time to learn.
Sakura was wise. She had learned and experienced things that, according to other people, no one should ever have to go through. But she went through them and gained something in return. She was not foolish; she did not make silly decisions. She was a full fledged jonin and she was not to be taken lightly.
But then, she thought, why do people call Kakashi-sensei wise? He is always enveloped with his erotic books and always seems a bit goofy. He couldn't possibly be the man that everybody looks out for.
In a small sense, she proposed to herself that he was 'wise' but he decided not to show it. 'Why' was the question she should be asking. If it was her, she would want people to respect her and her knowledge. She found no point in hiding it.
But then again, it was Kakashi-sensei she was talking about.
After a few more minutes of soaking, Sakura got out. She dried herself off with the towel from the room, rubbing down her head after her skin was relatively dry.
She slipped on a set of fresh clothes and stuck her feet back into her shoes. "That was wonderful!" Sakura sighed with content, shivering a little as the night air hit her skin.
Wait, night?
Sure enough, the sliver of moon shone brightly behind soft clouds. There was little sound except the hissing of steam from the bath house. The lights in the houses had gone off and the people on the street were fast asleep, worn out from that day's events.
"I've been in there for more than two hours!" she exclaimed. Sure enough, her skin was like that of a prune and she felt oddly sick. She stumbled over to the inn and smacked the door open with her wrinkled hand.
"What have you been doin' by yerself?" scolded Ume. "Have you been off with the men? I have the mind to tell your brother!" she rubbed furiously at her glass with her apron, giving Sakura a nasty look.
"I wasn't with men." grumbled Sakura, dragging her way to the stairs. "And even if I was, Kaka—my brother wouldn't care." She had almost said 'Kakashi-sensei'. Don't screw things up, thought Sakura.
Her first foot hit the step and then her other. Slowly she made the climb up, gripping the hand rail as if it was the Rail of Life. In a small sense it was.
"Have you been getting' drunk girl?" screeched Ume, slamming down her glass. "I won't have it in my inn!"
"Good night." mumbled Sakura before taking one last step up towards the second floor.
Kakashi was lying on the bed reading Icha Icha Paradise when Sakura, red and wrinkled, ungracefully waltzed into their room, shutting the door behind her with her back. She slid down the cool wood and tucked her head into her knees.
"Fell asleep in there, did you?"
"Shut it."
Kakashi chuckled to himself and put away his book. He walked over to Sakura, his hands deep within his pockets. He stared down at her while she was probably staring at the back of her legs.
She looked miserable. Her skin really was a bright pink and it looked almost like a sunburn. Heat radiated off of her body in waves and Kakashi swore she could heat an entire room.
"You need to get to bed." said Kakashi, leaning on the wall adjacent to her. Sakura didn't respond, so he tried a different tactic. "We don't want the little girl to get tired on her first day."
Still Sakura didn't respond. Kakashi, worried, reached out a hesitant hand. "Sakura?"
The pink haired slid sideways to the floor. Kakashi was immediately by her side, holding her unconscious head in his lap. "Dammit Sakura." he grumbled, pushing a few of her bangs out of her face. "Your temperature is soaring!" She was extremely hot. Her face was flushed red and her breath was coming out in short gasps.
Kakashi acted fast. He picked her up and brought her to the bathroom. Cradling her in one arm, he turned on the sink tap, cool water gushing out of the faucet. He took large handfuls and splashed them on her face, trying to cool her down.
"Ugh, Sakura, you're heavy." He shifted her weight and continued to spray her face with the chilled liquid. You can be so foolish! thought Kakashi angrily. This was the third time her life had been in danger. The first two were accidents, but this was entirely her fault.
Am I going to have to watch you every second of your life? he threw a rather large handful of water at her body, rubbing the cool water along her neck. It's the only solution I can think of. I will worry too much if I'm not around to protect you.
Sakura's eyes were still closed, her head leaning back against Kakashi's arm. Puddles of water speckled the floor in small pools. Water fell in rivulets down Sakura's hair, dropping to the ground like rain. Kakashi's shirt was doused in water, his hand pink from the ice cold water.
"Hate me for this later." Kakashi took off Sakura's shirt and dumped water down her front. He silently cursed the maker of the inn for not installing bathtubs. "Come on Sakura," murmured Kakashi, running his wet hand along her shoulders, "come on…"
Sakura's eyes shot open and she sputtered, waving her hands in front of her face. "Stop! Augh!" One minute she was sitting by the door, the next minute she was in a wet bra in Kakashi's arms.
The logical part of her mind reasoned that he had his reasons. The other part of her mind wanted to mutilate the man. Her eyes narrowed on instinct, but her head was so dizzy and muddled, she decided that lolling her head back was just as good.
"Ugh… what happened?" Her arms were heavy and her body was wet. She realized that she had suffered from heat stroke. Kakashi had most likely saved her life. Again. If he keeps doing that, I'll never get around to repaying him. I could have saved myself! I don't need some pervert to help me! Cha!
Kakashi threw another handful of water in her face for good measure before looking down at her with a serious eye. "You were in the bath for too long. You can only stand so much heat Sakura. I had to act fast."
So, he did have a reason. The way he looked at the ceiling instead of her meant two things: He respected her enough to keep her dignity and he didn't want to talk about it.
Sakura grumbled and turned on her side, falling out of Kakashi's arms and onto the floor. She hugged the tiles, squishing her cheek against the stone. "So cool…" she mumbled. Her eyes were drooping fast.
"You're not sleeping in the bathroom." Kakashi picked her back up, Sakura fighting furiously (In all actuality, her hands beating on his chest were like pebbles being thrown against a stone wall). He gently set her on the bed and pulled the cool sheets up over her.
"Don't think that this is over." yawned Sakura, closing her eyes. "I'll get you for taking off my shirt."
"Okay." He went into the bathroom and came out with a wet rag; He folded it and set the cool cloth on Sakura's forehead. Immediately the pulsing behind her skull began to ebb.
"I don't care if you saved my life." she mumbled, feeling sleep take her over. "I don't care…"
"I know Sakura."
Sakura felt her grip on reality slip slowly. She yawned one last time and snuggled deeper into the blankets. "Hang my shirt up to dry, won't you?"
"Of course."
Sakura fell asleep under the watchful eye of Kakashi. While she slept, he did what she asked, hanging her shirt over the sink's rim. He went back into the main area, his heart beat finally slowed. She had come close to injury. It scared him more and more each time. He was sure he would go insane if this kept happening to her.
Kakashi slid down the wall close to the bed, crossing his arms. "Why are you prone to danger?" he asked. Of course she didn't hear him, but he felt like he needed to say something anyway. "I really am going to have to watch you more closely."
Kakashi leaned his head back up against the wall and closed his eye. He also soon fell asleep.
When Sakura woke up, she was alone. It took her a second to realize that Kakashi had gone ahead to meet with Hitoshi. She prayed silently that he would tell the big man that she had other plans that day.
Sakura slowly swung her feet off the mattress and onto the floor. The wet rag from last night was as dry as the first time it came out of the cupboard.
Sakura felt immensely better. Her skin was back to its normal smooth self and her brain wasn't a boiled pudding. She stretched her arms over her head and cracked her back. She stood up and went into the bathroom. There, on the sink, was her dried shirt.
"At least Kakashi-sensei is good for hanging clothes." she giggled to herself, slipping on the black tank top. She looked at herself in the mirror, mildly pleased at what she saw.
Clean skin, sharp eyes, and no more strawberry skin. She pulled down her eyelids to check for anything out of the ordinary and looked at her mouth. After everything appeared to be in order, she went back into the main area and riffled through her bag.
"Ah hah!" she pulled out a Quick Brush, ripping the small packet open and slipping on the finger glove. She proceeded to scrub her teeth down with the glove, getting rid of the plaque build up.
As she brushed, she spotted a letter on the desk in the far corner of the room. She immediately noticed the chicken scratch.
Sakura
I've gone to see Hitoshi. I will probably be back around four or so in the afternoon. Don't go getting yourself into trouble. It will be hard for me to save you again.
Kakashi
Sakura huffed and crinkled her nose at the paper. "I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself, thank you!" She tossed the slip back onto the stand and threw away the used Quick Brush. She sat down on the bed and pulled her backpack towards her.
"Today I'll need my first aid kit," she pulled out the medium sized tin box, "some water, and extra bandages." She set those out as well. She looked around the room and spotted Kakashi's nearly empty bag. She grinned evilly and snatched up the bag. She dumped out its contents, which was mostly boxers, and shoved her medic items inside.
"He won't need it anyway. Besides, I have more stuff than him so it will be harder to pack up." With that in mind she slipped her arm through the strap. She made sure she had the key (he had taped it on the door with a piece of scrap paper with a smilie on it), and locked the door. Throwing it and catching it in the air, she tucked it into her pocket and proceeded down the hallway and the stairs.
"Where do you think you're going young lady?" Ume nagged, peeved at how tom boyish the pink haired girl seemed. "Havin' some fun with more boys I bet."
"Not today." said Sakura, stopping and bowing before Ume. "I have some business at the town center."
"Like hell you do! I bet that's your cover while you go off cavorting with god knows who!" She glowered at her, twisting her face into a scowl. "Your brother won't like it when I tell him! Won't like it one bit! I bet he's the only sensible one in the family. I bet he'll gut yer men alive!"
"He won't care." said Sakura. It was true, she had no belief that Kakashi would ever come at any men she dated with a kunai knife. "He's too lazy."
"Lazy!" Ume slammed the glass in her hand down on the table. "He was up before sunrise heading down towards the fields with Hitoshi. You were up in your bed, probably sleeping off your hangover!"
Sakura didn't want to tell her that it wasn't a hangover; it was her being in the bath house too long. The former wasn't as embarrassing as the latter so she let her continue to believe that.
"Goodbye Ume-sama!" Sakura waved as she exited, ignoring the angry remarks from the old woman.
"Dirty little girls with their awful manners! Just you wait, it's going to bite you in the bottom, you hear?"
The town was just as busy as yesterday, perhaps even more so. It seemed that more and more refugees came in with each new hour. River's Bend was so packed, there was hardly enough room to walk down the street. Families had their possessions laid out on mats, tempting people to come and take a look at what they had.
"Hand woven cloak," said a woman who Sakura had noticed, "sure to keep you warm on the coldest day. All I ask is for food. Please, do you have food?"
Sakura shook her head in shame when the man the woman had been speaking to spat down at her and held his belongings closer to his being. The woman wiped away the spit, her face void of any thought. As another person passed, she held up the cloak and began to bargain again.
It's so sad, thought Sakura as she watched many families sell their only belongings to those who were lucky enough to keep some of theirs. Sakura bent her head low as she passed, showing others she had nothing to give. She watched out of the corner of her eye as hopeful faces lit up as she came, but fell when they saw she was uninterested.
Ahead of her was the town center. Sakura stopped, suddenly anxious. She did not want a repeat of yesterday. Being smothered in dirty people was one time too many.
As she took a few steps forward, two men and a woman noticed her. They looked at each other and got up off their seats. Sakura slowed to a stop, waiting for them to come to her.
They stopped a few feet ahead of her, unsure of themselves. Probably embarrassed, mused Sakura. She crossed her arms and stared at them fixedly. "So… do you have reign on your self control this time?"
The men shuffled their feet and looked down at the ground. The woman elbowed one of them in the side and he coughed. "Yes." he said, looking up, but not directly at her. "We do. And…" he coughed again, scratching his cheek.
"We're sorry." finished the woman, taking a few steps towards Sakura. "We don't know what came over us. Perhaps we were too eager for our own pleasure. We did not think of you and the stress we could put on you." She bowed low and the men behind her inclined their heads, submitting to Sakura.
Sakura looked daggers at the men. They're a stubborn bunch those guys, she thought. But I suppose they aren't used to apologizing, especially to a young woman like me. What could she do?
"I accept your apology." said Sakura, her arms still crossed. "But before I take a step further, I want you to tell everyone that I'm here and I'd better get some civilized behavior."
"Yes ma'am." they bowed again and walked back to the building. A few others met them with anxious faces. They conversed and the people inside nodded. They disappeared behind the arch of the door and Sakura could hear the shuffling of feet.
Sakura had learned to not take crap from anyone. She had learned this from a very young age. She was not one to be pushed around so easily, especially by those who were below her. She deserved respect and total attention for her hard work. If she was not to get any, they were not worthy for anything.
To be humbled was not a bad thing. In fact, once learned, it was easy to get past people's defenses and speak much more freely with them. Sakura had found that being 'humbled' was a hard thing to learn. It took her three years to learn that there was nothing good out of talking back to much stronger opponents.
She could see clearly a few men needed to be put in there place. It wouldn't be too hard though with most of them respecting her. They'll do it because they'd be singled out, thought Sakura as she walked up to the town center after hearing the shuffling had stopped.
Sakura stood in the doorway, looking at the people who were lined up against the back wall. Sakura looked them over with a sharp eye, not missing a single detail.
"You." she pointed to a young woman with a bandage over her head, "to the left side of the room. You," he pointed to a woman who looked healthy, but had a small bandage on her cheek, "to the right." The woman shuffled in their respective spots and Sakura pointed to them. "Do you see how I separated them? Do so now, all of you."
There were a few murmurs and the shuffling of feet. Soon the entire room was alive, people pushing past others. Sakura saw a few people sneak their way to the left and she rolled her eyes. "If I find someone in the wrong section, they're won't be any healing at all!"
Sakura watched with a grin a few who changed their course and moved to the right. If she continued to watch them, they would see an embarrassed blush on their features.
Things slowly fell into place until everyone was staring at her, awaiting new orders. Sakura stepped out of the middle of the doorway and pointed to the right. "You guys need to get out to make room for the sick. Before you leave though, do any of you have any medic experience?" A few women raised their hands and a young man as well. She gestured towards them and they stepped forward, the young man embarrassed. "You are to help me." she said. "The rest of you leave. Once I finish with the ones here, I'll see what I can do out there."
Sakura wasted no time with watching them leave and snapped her fingers in the direction of the ones to help her.
"Over here, now. I don't want to waste time with explanations so I'll be brief." Sakura dug into her backpack and pulled out three bottles of peroxide. She handed them each one and a few rolls of bandages. "You guys are going to take care of those with the more easily handled injuries. Only use the peroxide when you can see or smell infection. The rest can be washed away with water." Out came the water bottles. She handed them each one and continued. "If you are unsure about a patient and need my help, don't hesitate to ask. We need to work together to make this a faster process." She flashed them a quick smile. "Do you think you can do this?"
The nurses looked at each other and then down to the ground. They're unsure of themselves! thought Sakura, frustrated. I hate it when people are like this. It makes no sense.
Sakura groaned and stomped her foot, a childish response left over from her years as a genin. "Come on now, don't chicken out! Besides, I'm here to help you and trust me, I know what I'm doing." she gestured to the people around them, their bandages red and her skin clammy. "These people need your help. They're counting on you to save their lives. Don't you want that?"
The women looked at the sick and the young man set his face in determination. "Yes." he said, gripping the peroxide bottle in his hand. "They need our help!"
"Right!" agreed the other woman. Her friend, also resolved in her duty, pumped her fist in the air.
"Let's do this!"
Sakura grinned. "That's the attitude I want to hear. Alright then, get to work!"
Kakashi had woken up ten minutes before he was supposed to meet Hitoshi at the front gate. His first course of action was to check on Sakura. Her skin had cooled and her heart was steady. Good. She's not dead, he thought. He then set about to stretching his muscles, yawning as he did so. He looked through his backpack and pulled out a Quick Brush, running it along his teeth quickly before tossing it. He went into the bathroom and changed his clothes, feeling that even though Sakura was asleep, he did not need to switch out his boxers in front of her.
He looked in the mirror and fixed his hitai-ate (it had spun around and protected the back of his head). He looked at his droopy eyed reflection and yawned again.
He scribbled down a note telling Sakura where he was going to be and set it on the table in the corner of the room. He picked up the key and with a grin, tapped it to the door along with a small smilie. "So you won't forget." he chuckled. He checked on Sakura one last time and exited the room.
He could hear the snores of the people in neighboring rooms. He was quiet as to not disturb them. He made his way down the stairs and saw Ume enjoying a cup of hot tea.
"Good morning, Ume." said Kakashi, bowing. Ume looked up from the rim of her cup and inclined her head.
"Good morning. Where might you be off to in these early hours?"
"I'm going to go and help Hitoshi dig up the kimchi stores. It would be ever so nice of you to cook up some rice to go with it."
Ume sighed and set down her cup of tea. "Yes, I suppose it's time we prepare the rice. We didn't want to make it considering we had nothing to eat it with, but now…" She gave Kakashi a questionable look. "I want to ask you something. You look like a reasonable young man."
"I'm flattered, but I'm not young." said Kakashi. "But I would be happy to answer your question."
"It's about your… sister. Now, I may be old, but I'm no fool. You two couldn't possibly be related. You look nothing alike. So, what is your case? Who are you really?"
Kakashi kept his face passive and relaxed. This woman is much sharper than I thought, thought Kakashi, slightly amused. "I do not know what you mean, Ume. We are but brother and sister traveling to Unon."
The old woman stared at him critically before turning her nose up at him and sipping her tea. "Young men, thinking they can get away with tricking a poor old woman. But I suppose you have your reasons." she waved her hand towards the door, taking another sip of her tea. "Go on, get out of here. I'll have your rice done before you get back."
Kakashi bowed again and left quietly, shutting the door softly behind him. "Better watch out for her." he murmured with a small chuckle. "She's a clever whip that one."
The morning was chilly and wet, making it almost uncomfortable. The shivering forms of the homeless laid everywhere along the sides of the street. Kakashi felt extremely grateful to Hitoshi. We would be sleeping just like them if it was not for him.
Just ahead, he spotted the large man. He was wearing tattered old clothes and headband to keep his hair out of his eyes. "You made it my friend. Where is your beautiful young sister?"
"She will be performing another task today, I'm afraid." Kakashi pictured Sakura amongst all of the desperate people in need of healing. You better be careful today. "She will be healing the injured. She is a skilled medic. Her time is better used there."
"Ah, a talented sibling you have. I agree, there are those in need of a doctor. Our own was killed in the flood. Poor man said a house along the river was the most beautiful way to wake up." He looked down the road up towards the inn. His voice was as deep as ever. "For a few minutes, I was afraid you were going to abandon us. I feel foolish for ever thinking such a thing."
Kakashi slowed to a stop, the dirt and rock sliding underneath his feet. He dug his hands into his pockets and smiled. One could only tell by the upward curve of his closed eye. "Don't worry about it. Sometimes it's a good thing to be cautious."
The man grunted in agreement. "Yes, it's hard to trust people now days, especially under these conditions." Hitoshi looked across his small town at the sleeping refugees. He sighed and rubbed his hand on his temple. "So many people have lost their homes. There are those who are willing to betray their ideals just to get them back."
"Hm."
"You know, a ways back, this town used to be a busy city. But ever since Unon came to power by the Miyazaki family, we've been run down to nothing but a forgotten ghost town."
The Miyazaki family, the underlying point of their mission. Kakashi tried not to sound too interested and asked, "How long has the Miyazaki family been in power?"
"Oh, not for very long. Five years to the best of my knowledge. It was as if they came out of the middle of nowhere. One minute we're a bustling community, the next we're some of the loneliest people in the Land of Fire."
So, their rise of power was abrupt and quick, thought Kakashi. I wonder how it happened so fast. "Any idea how they came to be?"
"None." The sun was beginning to shine its first rays on the ground. People stirred and Hitoshi began walking towards the east of the town. "Like I said, it was so sudden. It was like a summer rain. It came and went, and we were left with nothing."
"By chance," said Kakashi, following close behind, "have you heard rumors of a gang around here."
"No, I don't think so." Hitoshi unlocked a wooden gate and swung it open. It creaked on its hinges and banged when it hit the other side of the fence. "We're a pretty peaceful bunch. If there's any talk of gangs, it would be in Unon. And to tell you the truth, we don't much like talking about Unon folk."
He wasn't going to learn anything else. He would have to wait until the river lowered so they could cross. At least he gained a few clues.
The two were climbing up the face of a steep hill. Gravel slipped under their feet and Hitoshi fell more than once. Kakashi, being the jonin he was, wasn't fazed at all. In fact, he was the one who saved Hitoshi from taking a nasty spill back down the jagged stones.
"Urmph, I'm getting too old for this." Hitoshi panted and grabbed onto a cluster of knapweed, using it to haul himself up a few more steps.
"You don't look too old to me." said Kakashi, stopping to wait for Hitoshi as he bumbled up a few more steps.
"I'm old alright. Forty five. People say I look good for my age, but my bones and muscles are getting mighty tired." he grunted and pulled himself up with another thatch of knapweed. "Look at you; you're whole head is filled with gray hair and yet you're only in your twenties. That's what I call unfair selection."
"I believe that is the third time I've been called young." considered Kakashi. "But I'm not one to argue over such nice compliments."
A few minutes later, Kakashi pulled Hitoshi up with a strong grip to the top of the hill. Hitoshi's forehead was beaded with sweat. The sun was finally beginning to show its full face, bathing the sleeping land with golden rays.
"What a beautiful sight." Hitoshi wiped his brow and stared at the awakening land. "You can't get much more close to touching the stars themselves than that."
The dew on the grass far below sparkled like droplets of gold. Birds were beginning their morning songs, their voices like a symphony of flutes. The river was large and vast, taking in most of the light. It burned like liquid fire, shimmering and sparkling with a brilliance.
Kakashi had seen many beautiful sights. This was one was high on his list. He almost felt overpowered by how pure and true the sight was. "I wish Sakura could see this. She enjoys these kinds of things."
"Your sister, the pink haired girl. You two seem close. I envy a relationship like that. I've never had a sibling, but I think it would be great."
Kakashi laughed and found himself looking at the inn. He could just imagine Sakura lying in bed, snoring. "She can be a bit of a handful at times. She's also quick to temper. Now that I think about it, she's kind of dangerous if you make her angry."
"Yeah, but doesn't that balance out with the love you have for her?"
Kakashi's placid face faltered and he coughed a little. He was caught off guard and had to save his alibi quickly. "Um, yes. Yes, I love my little sister dearly." That was close, Kakashi sighed inwardly. A little warning would have been nice though.
"Ah!" Hitoshi clapped Kakashi on the back with a big hand, almost smacking him off the high hill. "Is it embarrassing for you to admit you love your little sis? You need to be more secure of your masculinity."
"Yes, I'll keep that in mind."
"You're a lucky lad. She seems like a strong woman." Hitoshi grinned and a laugh rumbled from his chest. "Bet you're beating the guys away with a stick, huh?"
Seeing Sakura surrounded by hormone driven boys suddenly made him slightly angry. "I'd be beating them back with more than a stick, I assure you."
Hitoshi blinked at him and bellowed with laughter, clapping Kakashi on the back again. This time Kakashi did falter and stumbled forward. He quickly caught himself and smiled nervously at Hitoshi. Best not make him too happy or I might be clapped right of the face of this hill.
"You're a card Kakashi – you don't mind me calling you Kakashi, do you?"
"No. I prefer it that way."
"Good! You and me Kakashi, we could make good buds." he shook his shoulder, his giant hand engulfing his arm. "We can talk while we work. Don't want to wait till the sun's high in the sky. Don't want to sweat too much." Hitoshi turned around and pointed down the other side of the hill. Kakashi looked down his outstretched finger.
His eye widened. "We're going to be digging through that?"
The hill dipped down into a small valley of mud. Dark, squishy, cold looking mud. It was clear it had run off the hill and sunk into the valley, covering the ground underneath.
"Underneath all that gunk are the kimchi pots." said Hitoshi, making his slow decent down. "We'll have to push past all the mud before we hit the ground underneath. You'll know when you've found a pot when you see a black knob sticking up from the ground. It should be the handle."
"Wonderful." Kakashi slipped off his shoes and hiked up the hem of his pants over his knees. He took off his gloves and rolled up his sleeves, making sure all his clothes would be without contact with the mud.
The first step into the mud was disgusting and uncomfortable. Kakashi even allowed himself a small groan. "This is…" he took another step and shuddered. "… unnerving."
"I know what you mean." Hitoshi didn't bother with fixing his clothes and waded in. He used his powerful hands to grab a handful of sludge. He tossed it to the side. It landed with a sickening plop. "You'll get used to it though."
"Yeah." Kakashi stuck his hands in and pulled, flinging away the dirt. It was heavy and thick, posing much more of a problem than he had anticipated.
Thirty minutes later, his hand came across something smooth and cold. He pushed the mud to the side and up from the ground was a knob. "I found one." he said.
"Good!" Hitoshi stood up and waded over to Kakashi. He looked down and peered at the dirt surrounding the handle. "Dig out the dirt around it. Afterwards just pull. Don't worry about the lid coming off, it's locked."
Kakashi nodded and pulled out a kunai knife from his pocket. He used it as a makeshift pick, attacking the frozen dirt. Gradually, more of the lid came into view until he reached the rim. He spun the kunai back into his pocket and grabbed the handle with both hands. He pulled, straining. The pot shifted and he pulled again, grunting.
It came free suddenly and Kakashi flew back. He landed on his bottom in the mud, the granite pot sitting in his hands. "One." he grunted, setting it aside. He stood up slowly, the mud clinging to him like an ugly second skin.
Hitoshi laughed at him, a kimchi pot in his arms. "Don't pull too hard or you'll go flying!" He reached down with his free hand and pulled up another pot with ease.
"Yes," Kakashi scraped at the mud and flung it to the ground with a flick of his wrist. "I have discovered that. Thanks for telling me."
Today is going to be a long day.
The chakra in her hands slowly ebbed away, leaving the girl's leg fully healed. Sakura pulled away and asked her to bend her knee. The girl did so happily.
"Thank you!" she squeaked, hugging her around the neck. Sakura let the girl do this. She was too tired to push her off.
Non stop healing. That was her day. If it wasn't for her perfect chakra control, she would have ended hours ago. Now her energy was running thin. She estimated that she could heal one more, then she would be done.
"You're welcome." smiled Sakura tiredly. "Now if you excuse me, I would like to check on June." Sakura stood up and walked over to the blonde woman that had volunteered her time. She was finishing wrapping up a man's wrist when Sakura knelt down next to her.
"How's it coming along?"
"Fine." June was cheerful, her blonde locks bouncing each time she moved her head. "Cho went to get some more water and Hideo is over there bandaging a man's head." She tied off the end of the white cloth with a sharp tug. The man smiled his thanks and left the town center to go and speak with his friends.
Sakura was pleased with June, Cho, and Hideo. They were proving to be excellent medics. If only they were ninjas, thought Sakura. "Good. Finish with those two in the corner. When Cho comes back, tell her she can go home."
"Yes ma'am!" June gathered up her bandages and half empty peroxide bottle and bustled over to another man with a medium sized cut on his side.
Sakura rubbed her eyes, growing tired. She looked to the clock on the wall. "Seven thirty." she mumbled, yawing. I've been out here for more than nine hours. Funny how time flies by when you're dealing with blood.
Hideo had moved away from the man and now was wrapping the slender arm of a beautiful young girl. She was blushing and Hideo was as well. Sakura walked over, grinning. "No romance on the job Hideo." Hideo's hand dropped the ball of cloth and the girl blushed furiously. "I don't want you to lose your concentration."
"I-I'm not!" he sputtered, trying to convince Sakura with his wide eyes. "She's just… I mean I'm just…"
Sakura pat him on the top of his head in a truce. "Don't sputter yourself to the point of fainting. Once you're done with her, you two can leave."
Hideo stood up, his eyes flashing. "I don't need to leave! I can help, I swear!"
"No Hideo." said Sakura firmly. "You've been here long enough. You need your rest. Besides, I can finish up here. Now, get back to your job."
Hideo sat back down, defeated. He picked up the bandages again and continued to wrap them around the girl's arm. Sakura heard her say she was sorry. Hideo flashed her a grin. "Don't worry, it wasn't your fault. I am a little tired anyway."
Sakura gave a small smile and went to the back of the room where an older man sat. His face was shielded under the brim of his large straw hat. Sakura knelt down next to him. "Sir, are you awake?"
The man shuffled a little and looked up. Sakura could see the wrinkles of age across his features. She bowed low and gestured towards leg. "I can heal that, if you wish."
The man studied her intentions silently. Deeming her worthy, he nodded his head in agreement. Sakura slid over to his leg and hovered her hands over his skin.
"Now, this may feel a bit weird, like a--"
"He's not your brother, is he?"
Sakura's eyes widened and her face shot up. Her eyes were the size of saucers. "What did you say?"
"He's not your brother." the older man said gruffly. "It's obvious. You have no features that are the same."
Sakura bit her lip and looked down at the man's leg, her skin almost touching his ripped up flesh. "We are not brother and sister by blood, but through marriage." she mumbled, calling upon her last bit of chakra in her body.
"You're names are the same. Either you're blood related or you're lying."
Damn. Sakura had walked right into a trap. She repressed the chakra flowing in her limbs and looked up at the man with a critical eye. "What is it that you want?"
"The truth." he said simply, staring right back at her with his green orbs. Sakura stared back at him, trying to make him falter. But soon she realized she was going to lose the battle and looked down at his leg, pretending to look over the torn flesh. "The truth does not concern you."
"What? Are you trying to hide something? Are you spies trying to destroy this town? Are you outcasts, abandoned by your village?" he pressed forward. "Are you a society scandal, hiding away from your way of life?"
Sakura growled and poked the man in the leg, making him wince. She looked up again, this time pissed. "I will ask you only one time: stop asking questions. If I tell you the answers," in a flash, a kunai was pointed at his throat, "I'll have to kill you."
The man stared down the metal of the knife. It was shinning deadly bright in the sunlight, reflecting its rays into his eyes. A bead of sweat ran down the side of his face. He swallowed and turned his head to the side. "Alright."
Sakura left the knife there for a moment longer before returning it to her pack. She called upon her chakra again and healed the man's wound. She gave a sigh of relief and held her hands up. "Alright, I'm done." she said it more to herself than anything. "I'm going back to the inn and sleeping."
She stood up and reached for her pack, but was stopped by the hand of the old man. She glowered at him, but he refused to budge. "I'm sorry." he said, letting her go. "But I needed to know if you could live up to your ninja ways. Now I see you are loyal to your code."
Sakura's eyes narrowed in confusion and suspicion, but decided that the man was old and senile and all he needed was a bowl of applesauce.
"Goodbye Old Man." she said before swinging her nearly empty backpack over her shoulder. He grunted and drew the brim of his hat down once more.
Sakura went through the room, picking up extra bandages and peroxide bottles, shoving them into her backpack. In the corner lay her half empty box of medic supplies. She shook it around and heard the wild clink of bottles and wraps inside. "Not going to use these anymore." she grumbled to herself before putting the tin box into her backpack.
She turned around and admired her handy work. Those who were badly injured were now either perfectly healed and wandering around the town or sleeping with white bandages along their skin. She admitted to herself that she wouldn't have been able to do it without June, Cho, and Hideo. "I'm just glad they volunteered or else I would have had to pay them."
The steps leading down from the town center creaked under her weight slightly. Men and woman bowed in thanks as she passed and children waved goodbye. She gave them a quick smile before heading towards the inn.
As she walked down the road, she realized that the people around her were in better spirits. She became conscious of the bowls of food in their hands and decided this was the reason for the happier mood.
"I can sure smell that kimchi." her nose wrinkled at the spicy smell. "I don't care how hungry I get, there's no way I'm eating that stuff. If I can smell the spice, then there's no way I'm eating it."
She resolved that she would boil up some ramen and eat that instead. She would have to ask for some hot water from Ume. That was going to be a task in itself…
A large brown monster rumbled up the bath. Its skin was coated in what appeared to be a cracked armor of some kind. Behind him was a smaller monster, perhaps its younger brother.
Oh wait, Sakura's grin spread from cheek to cheek, it's just Kakashi-sensei and Hitoshi.
Kakashi needed a bath. Badly. So much dirt was never good for a person. All he needed to worry about was Sakura coming back before them. It would be unlikely but…
He looked up the path and despaired. There, smirking evilly was Sakura. Kakashi slowed to a smaller step which Hitoshi noticed at once.
"What's wrong, my new friend?"
"Sakura will never let me live this down."
Sakura ran forward, laughing. She stopped to say something, but lost control and laughed again, pointing this time.
"O-Oh my god..." she tried to catch her breath, but laughed all the same, "Oh my god, I actually thought you were a demon!" She broke out into rib snapping laughter, tears running down her cheeks. "Oh my god!"
Kakashi glared down at her, but the whole effect of his glare was ruined with the mud caked all around his face. "Very funny, Sakura."
Hitoshi obviously found it funny because he was also laughing. His laughter was like thunder, loud and booming. "I suppose we do like mud monsters, don't we?"
Sakura looked up at Kakashi, her shoulders shaking. His clothes weren't visible. He could have been naked for all she knew. His tall spiky hair was matted in dark mud, a sprig of straw sticking out of the middle.
Kakashi glowered, causing the mud around his eyebrow to crack and fall. "What?"
Sakura's lips trembled and she laughed again, holding her sides. "I thought I had a tiring day, but you!" She clutched onto her sides. "You look like a mess!"
Kakashi growled. Sakura suddenly found herself swinging over Kakashi's shoulder. She blinked and stared down at the ground. "You think it's funny? Well, let's let you share in the experience."
"Wha? Wait! No!"
Kakashi jumped and they were sailing through the air. They landed on a rooftop, making Kakashi's shoulder dig into her stomach. "Wait!"
"Not this time." He jumped again, the roof disappearing in place of more dirt. Kakashi ungracefully dropped her on her bottom. She landed with an 'umph.' She looked up at Kakashi's flashing eye and she became fearful. "What are you going to do to me?"
"Let you share in my fun." he said simply before pulling her up by the arm and pushing her forward.
Funny how time seems to slow down when one is in danger. No one can really explain why it happens. All they know is that it does happen. There really is no science around it, it just occurs.
As the mini lake of mud came closer, Sakura dimly realized that that was her destination.
Kakashi watched with satisfaction as Sakura fell face first into a large pile of mud with a loud 'splat.' This pile of mud was especially watery and she sunk in deep. Sakura scrambled like a young deer trying to find its legs. Her arms flailed and he could hear her muffled screams.
"KAKASHI-SENSEI!!!!"
"I'm not your sensei Sakura. You should know this by now."
Sakura somehow found the ability to stand, albeit a bit shakily. Mud dripped from her face, her bright green eyes and white teeth the only thing visible from her mud mask. She turned around to kill Kakashi, but the mud was thick and she fell again, this time on her back.
Now she was covered. There wasn't a single spot on her body that was dirt free. There was mud in her shirt, mud down her shorts, and mud where mud shouldn't be.
She was a dirty, dirty girl.
That's it, she thought dimly. No more making fun of Kakashi-sensei. Not when there's mud nearby. I'm going to kill him! I'm going to beat him to a pulp! I'll drown him! I'll…I'll… AUGH!!!
There was a squishing sound next to her and she knew Kakashi was now standing right beside her head. She ran her hand across her eyes, wiping the mud away. She stared up at Kakashi whose eye was closed in a smile. He picked up the key that had fallen out of her pocket and spun the ring connected to it around his finger. They were going to need it later.
"Fun, isn't it?"
Sakura and Kakashi stared up the face of the bath house. The small silver key (the only clean thing visible on Kakahi's person) shone with the rays of the setting sun. Her backpack lay next to her. Thankfully it had fallen off when Kakashi had grabbed her for her "well deserved punishment."
Kakashi unlocked the bath house door and the steam wafted out as usual.
"I'm taking my bath now." her decision was firm and was not to be moved. "I don't care what you do."
"We can both clean off now seeing that the door to our room is locked." he looked down at her. "It is locked, isn't it?"
"Yes!" huffed Sakura before snatching up her backpack and walking inside. Kakashi followed behind her, turning towards the men's side when needed.
Sakura took off her clothes and instead of folding them she threw them into the water. She heard Kakashi do the same thing. They had realized the same problem: they did not bring a spare change of clothes with them.
All that Sakura cared about was that her skin and hair was free of dirt. She could care less about walking a few hundred feet or so back to the room in wet clothes.
The bath house was empty except for her and Kakashi. It was unusually silent except for the occasional splash of water from the silver haired shinobi.
She dug around in Kakashi's pack, praying she did not take out the bar of soap. In a cry of relief, she spotted it in one of the smaller pockets. She inhaled the lilac scent and immediately set around to rubbing the bar of soap furiously into her skin.
"Ugh, so much dirt…" She fisted the bar of soap in her hand and rubbed it along her scalp. Brown foam ran down her face and neck, floating in the hot water. "Ugh!" she pulled her hand away and looked at the bar of soap. It was muddy and truly didn't look like soap anymore. She dunked it underwater and ran it through her hair again. "So much dirt!"
In the other room, she could hear Kakashi laughing. "You deserved it."
"I did not!" she shot back, scrubbing at her head furiously. "It's not my fault you looked like a mudman!" She dunked her head underwater and washed away the suds. Pulling back up, she ran her fingers though her hair. They came back streaked with brown. "Dammit!" Again, she attacked her hair with the bar of soap that was becoming increasingly smaller.
"Don't use up all the soap." called Kakashi from the other side. "I need to get clean too."
"Shush you!" spat Sakura, lathering up her head again. "I'll keep using this soap until my hair is nice and clean!" she scrubbed at her scalp, scowling. "I wouldn't be in this predicament if it wasn't for you, so don't even!" She dunked her head under again, and pulled out. Dirty water ran down her neck. "More soap." she grumbled, running the bar along her hand. "Need to get something stronger…"
"Hey, I need to wash too!" called Kakashi from the other room. Sakura sniffed and continued scrubbing.
"I don't care!" she huffed, her nose turned up as she worked her fingers into her scalp. "You deserve it!"
The steam in the bath house was so heavy, Sakura couldn't see the other edge of the pool. It was as if she was wading in fog. It made her seem invisible to the world.
"Sakura, I'm serious, leave me some soap. I've been wading in mud longer than you have and I really need to clean off areas that are rather sensitive!"
"I hope whatever's dirty falls off!" Sakura spat, rubbing in more soap just to spite the man.
There was the splashing of water and the pitter pat of feet. It took a second to realize who had made the noise. Ahead, near the wall separating the two baths, stood Kakashi. His mask was still on (albeit much cleaner. Sakura guessed he put it on before he came over) and his hair still had traces of dirt in it. It clung around his face and dripped brown. His sharingan eye was closed, the long rope like scar clearly visible within the steam. He gestured out his hand. "Give me the soap. It's my turn."
Sakura blinked, mortified. She immediately sunk underneath the water, the lather around her hair making a bubbly tan halo. "Kakashi-sensei, what the hell?? Get out!" She prayed to whatever higher beings were out there for the dense mist. Only the top part of her former teacher was visible. The rest was hidden in white.
"Soap. Now."
Sakura was blushing furiously. Her hands instinctively crossed over her chest. "If I give you the soap, will you leave?"
Kakashi raised an eyebrow and leaned against the bamboo wall. "Of course."
Sakura grumbled and felt around for the bar. Her fingers touched it under the water. Her hand curled around it and she drew her fingers out of the water. Her elbow still covered her chest. "Here!" She flicked her fingers and threw it to the best of her ability.
Unfortunately, her best wasn't enough and it fell short into the tub. It landed with an echoing 'splash'. As the sound disappeared, so did Sakura's ability to breathe.
"I'll get--"
"Kakashi-sensei, GET OUT!!!"
"I'm not your--"
"GET!"
Kakashi, put down, gave her a mock pout. "Fine." he said, turning back around. "Throw it over here when you get it, will you?"
Sakura splashed water at him and he retreated behind the wall. Until she heard him slip back into the pool of hot water did she swim over to where the soap had dropped. She found it a minute later and threw it over to the best of her abilities. "There! Get it yourself."
More splashing of water, then a sluggish, "Thank you."
Sakura swam over to her clothes and rung them out. She got out of the water and slugged them on, not caring if they were dry or not. "Pervert." she grumbled.
"I heard that."
"And I don't care." she picked up the backpack and swung open the door. A cool gust of wind blew in.
"Augh! Shut the door, you're letting out all of the heat!"
"Again, I don't care." But she did end up shutting the door, albeit a bit more strongly than necessary.
"Perverted Kakashi-sensei, barging in on a naked woman." Her feet pounded on the soil. "Thinking he can do whatever he likes just because he's the copy nin." She threw open the door to the inn and Ume opened her mouth to bite negative comments into Sakura, but the young woman beat her first.
"What would you say if some man walked in on you while you're bathing, telling you to give him your soap? What would you do?"
Ume was caught off guard. She narrowed her eyes and the tea cup in her hand slammed on the table. "Were some men spying on you? I have the mind to go down and tell your brother--"
"He won't care!" Sakura stormed up the steps, ignoring the shouts that were coming from the disgruntled Ume. Sakura stomped up to their door and turned the knob.
It was locked.
And Kakashi had the key.
Damn. Perhaps I shouldn't have left so early. I mean, she thought as she slid down the door in defeat, it wasn't like he did it on purpose.
When Sakura left the bath house, he had shared a good laugh with himself. He tossed the silver key up and down in his hand, grinning. "She'll figure it out when she gets there. And I'll bet she'll wait there until I get back."
It was fun teasing Sakura. It was becoming sort of a hobby of his. It made him feel good when she blushed furiously whether it was from anger or embarrassment. It meant that she actually listened and responded to his actions. He was no longer some ignored person along the path of her life.
When he had gotten out of the tub to fetch the soap, he had completely forgotten his state, or lack of, attire. He had stopped himself before stepping too far into the steam. If he had taken a few more steps closer, things would have gotten awkward.
"A little too close for my comfort." He rubbed the bar of soap into his hair, finally getting the chance to clean himself.
After cleaning his body (using up all of the soap) Kakashi relaxed against the wall of the bath. He wouldn't spend as much time as Sakura had in the bath house, but he would make her wait for him to open the door.
The food stores are replenished, he thought as he went over the day's tasks. Sakura's most likely finished up healing the people who were injured. She'll probably have to spend the next day or two replenishing her chakra. After an entire day of healing, she's probably pretty beat.
He admired Sakura's stamina. Most people would label her as a weak young woman in need of rescuing. In the past, she was close to such a label. Now days, she was far from that. It's a good thing she's on my side, he mused, grinning to himself. She would make a tough opponent.
So if Sakura is going to spend the day resting, what am I going to do? Kakashi couldn't think of anything that Hitoshi had asked him to do. He supposed that he would wait and see how things played out. Until then…
I guess I'll train. I haven't been working on my jutsus in a while. And I can't remember the last time I did a push up. He was getting lazy. He blamed it on the lack of productivity in the village. And if I can't find anything else to do, there's always Icha Icha Paradise.
With that thought in mind, he picked up his clothes and rung them out. Slipping them on, carrying his shoes in one hand, he headed off towards the inn.
When he stepped inside, Ume was waiting for him with a broom in her hand. "Kakashi-san, I have received notice of a peeping tom around the inn!" her eyes slyly looked from side to side in the room, her grip on the broom tight. "Have you seen any young men around the bath house? Your 'sister'," she said the last part with a hint of sarcasm, one that Kakashi did not miss, "said a man barged in on her while she was bathing, naked! Poor girl was so shaken she couldn't even spare the energy to argue with me."
Kakashi did his best not to fall over in embarrassment. What she doesn't know won't kill her. "I'll make sure to keep an eye out." he said, inclining his head. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I think I am late for a well deserved sleep."
Ume set down her broom in a huff and plopped down into her chair. "Fine, you go and sleep. And you keep an eye out for that peeping tom, you hear?"
"I will. Good night."
I guess I scared Sakura more than I thought, pondered Kakashi. Best not do something like that again or else she might actually come at me with fists flying.
His eye widened slightly and relaxed into that of a smile. Sakura was curled up before their door, fast asleep. She had used his backpack as a makeshift pillow. He sighed, shaking his head. "Perhaps I was a little harsh. She did save many lives today and I repaid her by throwing her in a pool of mud."
Kakashi unlocked the door first and opened it before picking up Sakura bridal style and setting her on the bed. He threw his backpack into the closet, shutting the door that was right next to it.
As Kakashi tucked Sakura into bed (deeming her clothes were dry enough to sleep in them) he began to feel guilty. He had meant for his little prank to be funny and in the first few minutes, it was. But Sakura had done a lot that day and she really didn't need to bathe in sludge.
"I suppose I'll spend the day tomorrow fixing my mistake." he sighed, pulling his hands away from Sakura's properly tucked in body. "I don't like doing things like that, but it's a must."
Kakashi's clothes were far from dry. He stripped down and hung his wet clothes over the bathroom sink. He pulled on a fresh change of boxers and a pair of socks. He looked around the room for a spare blanket, which he found underneath the bed. Using his rolled up sleeping bag as a pillow and a blanket to cover himself, he began to fall asleep. "Just need to make sure I get up before Sakura." he mumbled again before relaxing against the ground.
--